Apparatus for straightening metal castings or preventing distortion of same during cooling



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' W. C. SPECK ETAL APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING METAL CASTINGS OR PREVENTING DISTORTION OF'SAME DURING COOLING 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5,

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APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING METAL` CASTINGS 0RV PREVENTING DISTORTION OF SAME DURING COOLING Filed Nov. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m\\| www s. I @lh -MNHN i. T Y m .r 1 im... nlffil. j l .\.1 J//n M T@ ww- @Q1 UM J e. W.

Patented May 26, 1942 APPARATUS FR STRAIGHT-ENING 'METAL CASTINGS R PREVENTING DISTORTION Y GF SAME DURING COOLING William C.` Speck, exley, and Glen S. Pierce,

Columbus, Ohio, assignors to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company Application November 5, 1938, Serial No. 239,192

s Claims.v (o1, 15s-4s) The invention relates to means for straightening metal castings and the like and for preventing warping or distortion of such castings while they are being cooled.

In the manufacture of steel castings many are put out-of-line due to pulling the castings out of the mold, warping during annealing or normalizing and otherwiseV hand-ling the castings while they are hot. This is particularly true of large castings. Y

Heretofore it has beenV the practice to straighten such castings cold `under presses which put a permanent set at various localized positions throughout the casting Vto bring it back in line. This method introduces internal strains and initiall stresses in thecasting which are harmful. To remove these'` internal'strains'involves reannealing which, in addition to being costly, would in the majority of cases require restraightening due to warpage in the annealing furnaces and the straightening processmentioned above would again' introduce internal strains.

By using our straightening meansin the man` ner hereafter described, theobjectional features referred to above are eliminated andthe cost of manufacturing castings reduced.V

In the annealing or normalizing process, the castings are placed'in a furnace designedY for that purpose, and arebrought to temperatures at which the castings are red hot. They are held at this temperature for a length of time, depending upon the nature .of the castings and then removed from the furnacevwhile in the red hotstate to cool slowly in relatively still air.

Through the use of our invention, the castings can be removed from the furnace while in a hot state and be placed on a press bed or cradle, and

while the-castings are thus supported a plungeror-especially designed Xture, depending upon the contour of the upper surface of the casting, placed on top of the casing and pressure applied. Thus a casting which is notstraightris deformed under pressure while hot to its straightened position. Y Y t The casting is then allowed to cool while in the fixture and under pressure as part of the annealing or normalizing process and is, therefore, substantially free from internal strains and initial stresses. Y

The procedure described above may be. applied to structures other than castings, such as steel shapes welded together and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide means for straightening castings or the like which can be applied while the work is in heated condition, and which can ,be-employed without introducing internal `strains and initial stresses in the Work.

A further object is to provide vpress or clamping members for deforming castings to their straight condition which will not vwarp dueto being in contact with hot castings or thelike.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceedathe invention` consists in the `novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the -accompanying drawings,

pointed out-in the ap- Fig. 5k is an endv-iew of the structure shown in Figs. 4 and Aa.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs; 1 toj3'inc-1usive, E and 'I designate the members of our improved-press or straightening apparatus. One of these members is stationary andthe other movable-toward and away from the'` same. Assuming that the member 'I is the stationary platen Vor press bed, the member 6 will be movable upwardly and downwardly toward the member '1.' Each member may consist of aV series` of vertically disposed, spaced, parallel plates 8, joined together -near one horizontal edge of the member by bolts 9 passing through spac-r ing sleeves or, collars IB. The plates extend longitudinally ofthe apparatus andthey are also spaced'by transverse vertical bars II preferably arranged at right anglesjto the plates 8.

Each `longitudinal plate is provided with a series 0f V.vertical slots I2 Ywhich extend from the opposed surfaces I3 of the members'towardtheir opposite surfaces I4.

Due to the slots I2 and the arrangement of the' plates, the confronting faces I3 of thestraightening members are formed by a multiplicity of spacedA edge portions or ribs vdesigned to engage opposite sides of the casting I5 to be straightened or prevented from warping during cooling. Y

In the annealing or normalizing process, the casting I5 is placed in a furnace designed for that purpose, and brought to temperatures at which the casting is red hot. It is held at such temcool slowly in relatively still air.

on `removing the casting from the furnace, and

peratures fora period oi time, and then removed from the furnace while in the red hot state to Immediately while it is hot, it is placedon the press bed 1. While the casting is in this position, the plunger or upper member 6 is placed on top of the casting and pressure applied, which pressure is maintained while the casting'cools to substantially atmospheric temperature. 'Thus a casting, which is not straight, is deformed under pressure while hot into straightened condition Y clamp allows the upperV and lower members to or if the hot casting is straight when removed from the furnace, themembers 6 and 1 will prevent warping or deformation during cooling. Obviously, the pressure may be either dead weight or iiuid pressure, such as hydraulic, air,V

steam, etc. Y Y

As the casting is allowed to cool while clamped in the apparatus, aspart of the annealing or normalizing process, it is substantially free from internal strains and initial stresses. A

Due to the skeleton form of the members 6, 1 andto the line contact between themembers and the casting, thermembers, 'I do notproduce any' appreciable chilling' effect on the structure being rs'traightened and consequentlyr the casting will not warp duetolbeing'in contact with relatively cool plates. p ,Y

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 4, 4a. and 5 is designed to accommodate castings 15a of an irregular contour. In thisfform of theinvention, the foundation of the press bed ,may comprise longitudinallyl extending parallel rails |517 which support a seriesA of transverse `vertical plates 'I8' having feet 18a restingfon the-rails. TheV plates are preferablyarranged in parallel relation and are rigidly connected to ione another Vby longitudinally extending' 'bolts i817. Each plate is preferablyprovided with a plurality of notches 18e extending downwardly from always be in line, whereas apparatus minus this feature will causevwarping of the castings and defeat the purpose of our invention.

While we have disclosed suitable embodiments of the invention in such manner that they may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, we are aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:' i

` 1; In an apparatus` of the character described, oppositelydisposed pressing members, one of said membersv being lprovided with a series of substantially parallel plates, one edge portion` of ing into'the notch ofjtheplate to minimize .the

edge formed by the notch."

' 2. In anapparatus of `theIcharacterdescribed, a plurality-of oppositely disposed pressing members, one Vof said Vmembers comprising longituthe upper edges of thebplates, and as the notches Y of the platesare in alignment, they formk a cradle, to support a pluralityof irregular castings 15a'. The edgesA of the notches are recessed or provided withrabbets 23 so as'to minimize the extent of castings.

Y To'l aid the plates in's pporting the castings during cooling, Aintermediate notched plates 18dof4 less height than the plates I8 may be arranged transversely on'therails lfb.

dinally Yextending lrectangular,parallel plates ar.-

ranged edgwise in'reference to the other.mem

ber, each plate having a multiplicityofspaced narrow' slots in its edge portion which faces theA other member,A spacing elements arranged be-A tween Vsaid plates atrght angles, theretoA and having edge portions fool-planar withsaidredge portions of the plates, and means rigidly 'and detachably connecting all of the plates together. '3.` In an-apparatus of the character described,

f Yoppositely Ydisposed rstand second pressing the edgesactually/in contactfwith'the A Where necessary we mayk employ adjustable*A jaws I8c to engage the outer side edges of the castingsV tolprevent` warping during cooling. l

The upper orv plunger members 6a in this modification may be similar to the' ones' shown.

in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. Each plunger member may consist'of a' number -of longitudinally ex'-VV members, Athe first member comprisinglongitudi-V nally extending parallelv plates arranged edgewise in referenceeto the other member, each plate having a multiplicity' of narrow slots in its edge portion which faces ,the second member,

spacing elements arranged between said plates and positioned at right angles thereto,` means rigidly'conne'cting allof the plates together, ,the

secondmember being provided Withva series of s ubstan tiallyparallel spaced plates positioned at` right angles to the plates of the first member, one edge portion of each plate of the second member being' provided with Valigned notches forming; a cradle to receive a casting, the notched portion of each ofthe last-mentioned'plates having lug i portions extendinginto the notch `of the4 plate to minimizeV the edge formed by the notch. A

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